Digitalization in Tourism - Challenge and Opportunity

Abstract

Knowledge and modern technologies play a crucial role in enhancing a country's competitiveness in the global market. As information and communications technology (ICT) has become a global phenomenon, tourism was among the earliest sectors to embrace new technologies and platforms. It was one of the first industries to digitalize its business operations worldwide. This paper focuses on digitalization in the tourism sector and analyzes the development and use of ICT infrastructure and digital services that could boost tourism and strengthen Serbia's position in the international tourism market. While digitalization offers numerous benefits, the paper also highlights key challenges—particularly the lack of digital skills, which hinders the effective use of technological advancements in tourism. Improving ICT readiness is essential, as it encourages further digitalization of travel and tourism services. According to the Travel & Tourism Development Index Report, Serbia continues to make strides in ICT readiness, ranking 47th out of 119 countries in 2024, with a score of 5.56.